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Saturday, 31 July 2010

It is rare when both of us here at Style Salvage are stopped in our virtual tracks by a website. When EJ clicked on one of Little Doodles' Gimme Gimme Gimme posts this week she soon fell in love with Hickoree's Hard Goods online store and I wasn't all that far behind. Carefully selected products. Simply but beautifully presented. Both of us love how the site keeps a straight and narrow line of uncomplicated, timeless design which elevates the important facets of the store, the products. We soon wanted to fill our shopping baskets as we screamed in unison, "Must have everything!"

One hundred and ninety two temptations.

Hickoree’s Hard Goods is run by two brothers, Emil and Sandy Corsillo, who also happen to be creators and owners of The Hill-Side. As there own small label produces neckties and handkerchiefs in New York City’s garment district, Hickoree's similarly leans towards offering American made products while getting excited about the provenance of both new and old items. Both have a keen interest in selecting seemingly uncommon goods for their online store, merging both new and old items together to create a retail environment full of interest and discovery. The vintage clothing is mixed in as a way to lend some context to the new products on offer. Everything makes perfect sense.

"We are constantly striving to make Hickoree’s a place where you don’t expect to find all these particular things together, but when you look at the store as a whole it really makes perfect sense." Emil and Sandy Corsillo speaking to oneeightnine earlier this year.

The store currently offers one hundred and ninety two temptations, below are just a small selection of our favourite products...

The mark of any good store is seducing the customer in to parting ways with their hard earned cash. As soon as this post goes live we would have purchased a good number of these items. Maybe even the match box. Now, neither of us have any real use for this product but both of us would probably kill for it. With the recent discovery of Hickoree's Hard Goods Store our online shopping habits, which tend to amount to little more than afternoon procrastination fodder, have now turned expensive and a little dangerous.

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Cast your minds back to the busy month of May, where I zigzagged my way across the capital for various press days and viewings to help see what AW10 would bring. One of the real highlights was A. Sauvage. At that moment in time I was unable to really examine the debut offering of the label and instead chose to introduce the designs via Adrien Sauvage'sThis Is Not A Suittumblr. The concept follows a simple logic within a strong framework. To explore the word suit and what it suggests. In each case, the artist invites subjects to wear garments from his collection and encourages them to express who they are whilst wearing a suit with no directorial interference. Having established the loose parameters of the experience it is left up to each subject to decide what to wear, diverse as they are, from the collection 000-1 - 000-11. TNS is a case study of the artist’s ongoing fascination with the internal and external influences that enable individualism. I have been truly captivated by his natives and captain series. What better way to start the consumers juices flowing than to beautifully capture the designs worn so effortlessly by a diverse band of men and women, from retired Harlem Globetrotters to Coco Sumner to Terry Gilliam, Berlin break dancers to a local deli owner? I love the questions that this photographic projects asks about sartorial individualism. What does a suit mean to you? How do you wear a suit? This Is Not A Suit, this is so much more...it is an attitude and an ongoing style project.

With my interest heightened combined with the knowledge that the collection is hitting Matches and Harrods imminently, I decided to learn more about the label by visiting the designer behind it all. The label is the brainchild of Adrien Victor Sauvage who whilst working as a creative realised that the stylish demands of his clients were not being met so set about meeting them with his own designs. There was a clear and obvious gap in the menswear market and Sauvage had the vision and drive to fill it. So the designer developed the art of dress easy, or DE as he calls it. The debut collection entitled 000-1 -000-11 showcases both radical and elegant menswear. Sauvage has built a debut collection on pieces that would add so much to so many wardrobes. To make matters even easier for the every man he has practically created an fool proof guide of creating looks. Of course there are a myriad of ways each piece can be worn but for those less confident, he has created a look book of colour co-ordinated assembly line-esque, everyday dressing...

I was fortunate enough to try on a number of the suit jackets and I fell in love with each one. Sauvage even managed to stylishly sidestep my aversion to double breasted jackets. The moment I slipped on the Lounge Suit over my shoulders my ordinarily disagreeable and difficult frame was shaken by the cut of this feat of double breasted craftsmanship. The forest green double breasted sports jacket quickly followed and I soon wanted to explore the countryside in my new DB suited stature. Moving on from my rekindled tailoring lust for one moment, it should be clear to see that each garment has traditional details combined with progressive cuts. using the finest of materials. The entire collection is based in cashmere, flannel, mohair, micro cord and worsted wool that utilise and showcase the modern palette. Quite simply put, A.Sauvage works on the principle of perfecting cut and concentrating on fit while having a spot of fun. It offers something more than most with its pomp and colour. It is hard not to covet the dapper three piece suiting, natty Prince of Wales checked country blazers or colour popping slim cut corduroy trousers. The designer will add pieces to the range as the seasons and needs demand. The collection is having a celebratory launch evening at the flagship Matches tomorrow (29th) and I'll be there to raise a glass to this stellar debut.

Update:

The event was extremely well attended and I have to confess to feeling somewhat under dressed when I found myself surrounded by an array of sartorial peacocks and modern dandies. The lower ground level of Matches had been transformed to showcase the collection in all its glory. We might not do party pictures here at Style Salvage but we can offer you a sneak peek in to the transformed shop floor with images snapped by none other than Adrien himself...

Tuesday, 27 July 2010

Something like a phenomenon, something like a phenomenon, something like a...

For the last few weeks I have found myself humming along to one of LL Cool J's classic anthems. The reason for this unusual phenomena lies solely on the shoulders of one Susie Bubble. After returning from a brief stint in Paris she introduced me to a previously seen but unregistered Japanese label, Phenomenon. Established in 2004 by TakeshiOsumi (or BIG-O to his friends) as the more hi end branch and upscale brother of Swagger, Phenomenon has always been something of a cult streetwear brand that purports to fuse elements of American hip hop with that of the most enviable Japanese men's street style. The label has continually showcased a wide spectrum of intricate patterns, cuts, and overall quite out there and wild themes. A definite trademark of the brand since its inception has been to experiment and push boundaries.

For AW10, along with the customary design we also see a growth, as the label takes on a more mature designer approach as opposed to the strictly streetwear designs usually previewed. You don't have to take my word for it though, take a look at the below show images from Fashion Snap...

The season also saw the label have their first show at Japan Fashion Week (show video below) where it was met with big expectations and big praise from attendees and the subsequent blogosphere exclamations...

The balance between the theatre of the show and the wearability of the collection might be awry for some but not for this blogger. Despite being proudly on the dramatic side of the fence with its hyper styling, the collection is bursting with lust worthy pieces, wearable yet interesting. This is a collection that celebrates texture, protection, layering with a focus on rich fabrics and silhouette experimentation. It is exactly how I long to dress for the chillier months.

As I mentioned in the first opening paragraph I had seen a few stories on Phenomenon but had not investigated the label in any way. Susie changed all that after a visit to Paris where she picked up the above denim shirt from Pigalle. What better way to acquaint myself with a brand than to wear it. I wish all of my introduction involved a present...

A close up look at the fringe detailing.

I'm under no illusions that this is a gift for Susie masquerading a gift for me because she has since worn in a few times. However, there will quite a few occasions where I'll steal this back off of her. I have to confess that initially, I was initially put off by the fringe detailing but then all that changed and I began to dream up a myriad of ways to wear it. Both of us has since mined through the offerings of the label in their very useful product drop blog (other stores/brands should definitely take note) and the vast majority of the pieces are undoubtedly far more evolved than the tee/trainer/jean boundaries of most street wear labels. Despite their being a good number of pieces that grabbed my attention, I can happily declare that Susie bought extremely well.

After making the most of the glorious summer, I have now grown tired of the heat and sweat of life in the capital during the throes of this sticky, stinky season. I long for autumn. The mornings where I can layer and wrap myself up in a bounty of wool, tweed, cashmere and anything else I can get my hands on. This shirt will add yet one more texture. So despite BBC Weather recording temperatures of 24 degrees this morning I had to road test one of my dreamed up looks. I'm looking forward to styling up a few more as soon as I welcome in autumn.

Friday, 23 July 2010

After being left utterly inspired by last nights Fashion Pioneers talk our desire to provoke discussion around menswear has undoubtedly intensified. Before we bask in everything that the weekend has to offer we just have to continue our discussion around personal moments of style. There will always be snapshots of style which we look back on that evoke an odd sense of pride or happiness, others might make us cringe, question our sanity before diverting the blame on to the shoulders of an era or an embarrassing trend that once seduced us.

For me, the least stylish moments are the clearer of the two. I have far too many memories of Margate 'geezers' wearing sharp rectangular toe loafers with their ill fitting jeans and tight, unbuttoned party shirts. I still have nightmares. I have even more distinct memories of myself wearing whiter than white Nike Air Max trainers, footballs socks tucked in Nike jogging bottoms and a Fred Perry or Lacoste polo shirt completing this ensemble. The famous Gore Vidal springs to mind when I think about these unfortunate episodes, "Style is about knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn." At these moments of my youth I was the antithesis of style. I looked ridiculously because none of it was me. Anyway, enough admissions from me (for now at least). Here we add to our latest topic by asking three more of our favourite menswear characters to discuss their own moments of style. Why not make yourself a cup of tea and reminisce with tales of Matt Fox's first tuxedo, Paula Gerbase's early obsession with colour and ImranAmed's discovery of 'his designer'.

"My most stylish was when I bought my first tuxedo. I was right out of college and living in New York City for the first time. I was working for a theatre company and knew that there would be several events coming up requiring black tie. After doing the math I realized it would be much more economical to own than to rent. I remember clearly being attended to by the eager salesman at Eisenberg and Eisenberg (a NYC institution) and the pride I felt in making that purchase. The salesman then sent me to the tailor next door and I was thrilled with the idea of clothing being altered to fit ME. I picked up my new, customized tuxedo a week later, just days before my first formal event with my company. I wore that tuxedo with such pride, like a matinee idol in an old black and white movie.

My least stylish (or perhaps another most stylish moment) was during my fourth grade Spring Chorus concert. Between sets my older sister came running back stage to tell me that the entire family was totally embarrassed by what I was wearing. Apparently I missed the memo and while the entire chorus was dressed in white long-sleeve dress shirts and black dress pants, I was wearing chinos and a mint green polo shirt (collar popped of course). I didn’t notice how out of place I was until my sister pointed it out and then I was mortified. I laugh now at the image of a sea of 9 year-olds in white with me in the middle popping out in mint green."

"When I was eight years old I was living in the US with my parents, and went through a particularly colourful phase. It is not one that reflects my aesthetic these days, but it is a phase that I admire for my absolute freedom to choose what I wanted to wear regardless of whether it was appropriate or if it matched with anything else I had on. As well as colour, this period was led mainly by a need for extreme comfort (hence lots of jersey and baggy sweaters which you can see in the picture).

If there is one piece of clothing that absolutely defines this year in my life, it has to be this ridiculously insane multicoloured / multitextured winter coat which I believe even had mirrors attached to it in panels along the side and back.

I wore the coat for a year or so and it rolled around in the back of my cupboards for quite a few years after, even moving with me and my family to various countries, until it ended up in Switzerland, when my mother finally decided to donate it to charity around 1997.

Fast-forward to 2004, and I'm walking through the corridor of St Martins during my Womenswear BA, and who/what do I spot with the corner of my eye, but my tutor David Kappo wearing my multicoloured coat!! We had a long chat about it and apparently he had bought it in a charity shop in Paris .... The coat had really done a world tour, only to find me at a completely different period in life, quite an amazing path for a single garment!"

"On my most stylish moment...For a couple of years, I have been getting some clothes tailored by ICHO in Japan, who have a knack for understanding my personal aesthetic. Whenever I'm in ICHO, I feel great (here I am wearing a few pieces), and my friend Diane Pernet says that I have found "my designer". They are amazing.

On my least stylish moment...Growing up in Canada I used to perform in a show choir, a la Glee, and although we sounded great, unlike the stars of the television show, our costumes left a little bit to be desired. Picture an offwhite, synthetic tuxedo with emerald green bow tie and cummerbund. Enough said."

Thursday, 22 July 2010

Appealing to a new generation of curious viewers, the Business of Fashion's Fashion Pioneers features innovators at the heart of the constantly evolving, ever fascinating and all consuming fashion industry and gives the audience a rare opportunity to understand fashion from a behind-the-scenes, professional point of view. I was fortunate to take my seat at the very first event of this new series of intimate, live-streaming conversations between ImranAmed and Jefferson Hack. Over the course of the hour long discussion I was engrossed and left excited and intrigued. Building on the success of his discussion with Hack, the BoF Founder and Editor ImranAmed will now speak to another true Fashion Pioneer in Natalie Massenet.

Amed and Massenet will be discussing the amazing story of the growth of Net-a-Porter, the future of a fashion industry landscape that has already been radically reshaped by the digital revolution and rapid globalisation and of course Mr. Porter. With Net-a-Porter, Massenet has spent the last ten years luring women away from their favourite physical and trying to make something that’s a better mousetrap for the consumer. With Mr Porter Massenet turns her talents to creating a shopping destination for men...

”I’m more excited about this than anything we’ve ever done,”

Natalie Massenet on Mr Porter in WWD.

So much has been written and said about the Founder and Executive Chairman of NET-A-PORTER but I cannot wait to hear how this discussion unfolds and to learn more about this exciting new menswear shopping destination. We invite you all to tune in. And while you are watching, please send questions for Natalie Massenet to the @_BoF_ Twitter account using the hashtag#BoFLive

The live stream begins today at 2.30pm New York | 7.30pm London | 8.30pm Paris and Berlin.

Despite suffering from coulrophobia I have always had an odd fascination with the circus and all of the odd eccentricities they entail. Hazily looking back now over my childhood in Kent I can remember experiencing a cocktail of excitement, dread, anxiety, anticipation and wonder during each Summer holiday at the realisation that one of the traveling circuses were pitching their tents in a field a few clown foot steps away from my house. Even thinking about it now brings those same feelings flooding back to me. In spite of the sweaty palms and racing heart, the circus would always leave me spell bounded. Even though I would have to cover my eyes at the sight of any ridiculously small car and its inhabitants the rest of the show would ignite my imagination. Somehow, the thrills and spills of the circus always entertained. Now the boy might've grown up but I'm just excited by the news that Camo have pitched their tent for AW10.

After first learning about Camo inside the sartorial Disneyland that is Pitti Uomo I introduced the Italian labels SS11 collection, entitled Country. For Country, designer Stefano Ughetti examined the roots of Biellese farmers and shepherds living a simple and proud life. Through using fabrics made in North West Italy, Stefano celebrates his heritage while supporting local industry and Italian craftsmanship. However, after clapping eyes on the AW10 look book I can't help but take you back to it. I have to confess to feeling something like a lone trapeze artist, swinging from AW10 to SS11, dizzying myself waiting for an outstretched arm to guide me over. Fashion moves so fast and at this point in to a season I am always a little confused. No matter, we have to push on and why not in the direction of the circus..?

For AW10 Camo want to enchant people again by showcasing something spectacular and surprising. Once upon a time the circus world was an amusement for everyone, especially for those who couldn't travel or see anything different or strange and this collection, that once again showcases the designer's support for local industry and Italian craftsmanship. As the designer experiments with colour and cut this is a collection that like the circus, contains a diverse ensemble of intriguing, exciting and wondrous characters. Ughetti has managed to create a sartorial circus without playing dress up.

For Ughetti, "Everyone has a piece of circus within himself 'cause we are all a bitty clowns or aerialists or tightrope walkers or comedians." Now, the thought of that might strike deep in to my heart but part of that sentiment excites me.

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Over the last few months we have been treated to an array of graduate design talent from this years crop. I have shared my highlights throughout and there is more than enough time to showcase another. At the beginning of the month I shared the talents of MinakoTsuda whose playful leather schoolboy rucksacks and gentlemanly document holders harked back to a different, altogether more romantic sartorial era. Tsuda was of the LCF BA Footwear, Accessories and Clothing students graduates on show at the pop up gallery space on Carnaby Street that left me inspired. MakotoTaguchi was the other and I can now excitedly share images from his intriguing footwear collection. I was taken by this Cordwainers Footwear graduate's talent at combining various shoe making techniques, from traditional hand sewn methods to modern glued shoes, with the introduction of his own, fresh ideas. Taguchi's design philosophy is simplicity after complicated process. The best way for me to demonstrate this to you is to show you his collection in some detail...

Transforming the boot in to a shoe with the help of beautiful leather lace work.

I love the sense of well crafted quality that exude from this pair.

Taguchi's second design. Classic plus whole cut.

Once again the boot transforms...

I love the combination of the contrasting leather and wood sole.

Ornament, Structure, Button. This boot seemingly has it all.

A close up at a few of the key details.

Ornament, Structure, Ski hook. This is certainly Taguchi's most adventurous design but once again there is a real balance.

A closer look, ski hook and all.

The last design is simply titled, Cut.

A look at a few of the processes involved.

A closer look at the shoe's profile.

Makoto Taguchi's graduate collection displays an array of techniques, traditional and otherwise. The graduate ultimately showcases a real and exciting passion for shoe making. Each design is close to bursting point with meaningful details but nothing feels superfluous. There is a real balance between them. The diverse details combine to create shoes to covet. The real surprising element for me is that each shoe exudes a well crafted quality that is most rare to find in a graduate collection. I for one am excited to see what Taguchi does next but one thing is for sure, my feet will no doubt be treated to a pair one day soon.

Monday, 19 July 2010

As they couldn't find anything decent that anyone else was doing, Andrew Bunney and Daryl Saunders did it themselves. British Remains was born.

As they could not find anything decent printed t shirts, Andrew Bunney and Daryl Saunders took matters in to their own creative hands and launched British Remains. I heard the first murmurings surrounding the brand during my tour of Lewis Leathers. As Bunney enthusiastically flicked through over a number of books dedicated to the London of yesteryear, enthralled by the subcultures of London and beyond, he excitedly told me that he was working on a range of printed t shirts. The once challenging, political, humourous, marginalised printed tees shirts of old have seemingly lost their way no thanks to the mass produced varieties hanging on rails across high streets near and far. Bunney and Saunders wanted to reignite a printed passion. For inspiration they looked to what they knew best, symbols of Britishness and subculture...

Bunney and Saunders talked for many years about the things they like, hate and mourn about Britain and British Remains will explore some of those feelings. When I heard the news that the label is exclusively available at the Hideout I made sure that I dropped by the Soho street wear institution over the weekend. After perusing the rails of Supreme and taking fancy to a pair of Visvim's or two, I focused my attention on the British Remains products in the window. The debut collection is a tightly edited offering, each piece entirely encapsulates what the label is all about.

The range celebrates facets of Britain and localised symbols that would ordinarily not be known outside of these shores. London brickwork, toilet signage and Generation X are all given the printed cotton treatment. The Margate boy in me was instantly drawn to the latter option...

After spending my youth in this once bustling now wonderfully depressing, occasionally violent and particularly English seaside town I just had to purchase Generation X as it depicts a celebrated beach scene. This was Margate during its heyday. In 1964 you were either a Mod or a Rocker. You had to be one or the other. The Mods had designer suits, Italian scooters and The Who. Rockers had leathers, motorbikes and Elvis. For a few years in the early 1960s, the two groups represented a sharp division in British youth culture. Their rivalry often spilled over into violence, and the 1964 Whitsun holiday weekend clashes in resort towns on the south coast terrorised local residents and outraged much of the nation. This image of the English seaside at its most memorable is juxtaposed with an image of academia gentility. Harrow is one of the original nine English public schools. It has many traditions and rich history, which includes the use of boaters, morning suits, top hats and canes as uniform as well as a very long line of famous alumni including eight former Prime Ministers (including Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru and Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston), numerous foreign statesmen, former and current British Lords and members of Parliament, two Kings and several other members of various royal families, 19 Victoria Cross holders, and a great many notable figures in both the arts and the sciences.

Although the front is powerful, the back of the t shirt is not overlooked. Published in 1964 under the title, 'Generation X - Today's Generation Talking About Itself,' by Charles Hamblett and Jane Deverson set out to understand the youth of the time and exposed a cultural revolution. John Braden, an 18 year old Mod and a car mechanic days after the Whitsun clashes in Margate was among them. 'They might've got a bit of a shock but they deserve it - they don't think about us, how we might feel.' Jacobs was part of the original Generation X. Not one of the youths described by Douglas Coupland in his 1991 book of the same name. The original Generation X were all teenagers in the Swinging Sixties - young adults whose lives were documented in a unique social project put together by two authors who set out to understand the youth of their time. Originally, Deverson was asked by a women's magazine editor to conduct a series of interviews with teenagers of the time. The picture of disaffected youth that emerged was a new phenomenon and was deemed unsuitable for the magazine: the book was the result.

With their exploration of Britain, past and present, British Remains stirs up odd feelings about the country I live in. What it means to be British, what it once meant and how it has evolved. The class struggle, the rise and fall of subcultures, everyday symbols that are often overlooked. These are all things that make Britain so interesting. It is undoubtedly a thought provoking yet aesthetically pleasing brand. I'm looking forward to watching this label grow.

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Style Salvage is blog about how men could (and do) dress. Started back in June 2007, the blog aims to showcase emerging and established design talent alike. It features style commentary, 7 day style diaries, interviews with designers, journalists and shop owners mixed in with the occasional personal style shot.